National Check Your Pet’s Microchip Day is August 15th
Has your pet ever gone missing?
It’s the scariest feeling in the world!
You check all around the house, you check the yard,
the neighborhood, but reality hits you…your pet is gone.
FACT: Unfortunately 1 in 3 pets goes missing during its lifetime.
90% of those pets never return home due to inadequate ID. *
That’s why Fort Street Veterinarian wholeheartedly promotes and performs microchipping of pets, and partners with HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service. Unlike tags that can become lost, worn and/or impossible to read, microchips are permanent IDs that can help to identify and reunite pets with their families. However, if a pet’s microchip information isn’t registered or up to date, that animal can still remain unidentified and unclaimed.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) teamed up in 2013 and launched “Check the Chip Day” to remind pet owners to update their pets’ microchip registration information.
FACT: “Stray animals found in Omaha, Douglas County, Ralston and outside of our control service areas will be held for just 3 days. Strays found in Sarpy County cities are held for just 5 days.” –NHS**
FACT: “Submitting a lost report does not guarantee that we will call you if your pet comes in. Unless the pet is microchipped or has a valid ID tag on its collar when found, we may not know it is your pet.”–NHS**
When Should You Update Your Pet’s Microchip?
Anytime you have a change of phone number or address you should update your pet’s microchip registration information on the manufacturers website, at your veterinarian and at your local humane society. Updating this information is just as important as microchipping your pet in the first place.
How Do You Update Your Pet’s Microchip Registration?
If your pet has a HomeAgain microchip just go to their website and sign up or login and follow the instructions. You’ll need your pet’s microchip number to update their registration, If you don’t have it, the website tells you what to do or you can give us a call.
If your pet has another manufacturer’s microchip, you’ll need to set up an account through that manufacturer’s site. Don’t know the manufacturer? Use the AAHA’s Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool. Once you have set up an account, check to see that all registration information is correct, especially phone numbers and addresses.
How You Can Participate In “Check The Chip Day”
- Join the event on Facebook
- Call us at 402.884.3383 to Make An Appointment to get your pet microchipped
- If your pet is already microchipped, check their registration information to make sure it is up to date
Want to Know More About Microchipping and the Process?
Dog and cat microchipping is a simple procedure. We simply inject a microchip, smaller than a paperclip and about the size of a grain of rice (see photo above), beneath the surface of your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. Similar to a vaccination, it takes only a few seconds to do and requires no anesthetic.
We Offer Discounted Fees for Microchipping:
Microchip at your puppy/kitten appointment for last set of vaccines:
$30.90 (regularly priced at $51.10)
Microchip at your pet’s surgical appointment:
$30.90 (regularly priced $51.10)
Want to Know More About HomeAgain and Its Services?
HomeAgain is a comprehensive pet recovery service that has been helping reunite lost pets with their owners since 1996. More than 10,000 lost pets are reunited each month with their families – more than one million pets since the program was established. After your first year of HomeAgain membership, you have a choice to renew your HomeAgain membership that comes with special perks including 24/7 access to their lost pet hotline, Rapid Lost Pet Alerts and more. To learn more, just visit their website, www.homeagain.com.
*Statistics provided by HomeAgain
**–nebraskahumanesociety.org
